Recovery of COVID-19 acute respiratory distress syndrome with tocilizumab: successful outcome in two critically ill patients.

Background: Severe pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) due to COVID-19 is a challenge for nowadays medical practice. Although there is no clarity in the principal mechanism of lung damage and ARDS development, it has been suggested that one of the main reasons of this pathology is the hyperactivation of the immune system, better known as cytokine storm syndrome. Tocilizumab has been proposed to treat COVID-19 severe cases associated to ARDS. Results & methodology: Here we present two successful cases of tocilizumab administration in two COVID-19 patients with prior administration of antiviral therapy (hydroxychloroquine, azithromycin, lopinavir and ritonavir) with adequate response and resolution of ARDS, septic shock and severe pneumonia within the first 72 h. Discussion & conclusion: This case supports the usage of tocilizumab as an effective therapy in COVID-19 associated cytokine storm syndrome. Further studies should be done in order to assess its effectiveness and security.

Plasmodium vivax infection due to percutaneous exposure in non-endemic area.

Malaria is an acute febrile disease due to Plasmodium species widely distributed in tropical areas of the world and it is a leading cause of death in developing countries. In 2018, 62.141 confirmed cases of malaria were reported in Colombia with P. vivax and Plasmodium falciparum being the causal species. Vectorial transmission is the most common way of acquiring the infection, however it can also occur by blood transfusion, transplacental route and percutaneous exposure. We describe a case of P. vivax infection by needle stick injury in a laboratory technician in Bogotá, Colombia.

Enfermedad de Creutzfeldt-Jakob. Presentación de un caso y revisión de la literatura / Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease. Case Report and Literature Review / Doença de Creutzfeldt-Jakob. Apresentação de caso e revisão da literatura

Resumen: La enfermedad de Creutzfeldt-Jakob (ECJ) es una patología neurodegenerativa transmisible, producida por una proteína anómala infectante denominada prion. Junto con el kuru, el insomnio familiar fatal y el síndrome de Gerstmann-Stráussler-Scheinker, configura el grupo de las llamadas encefalopatías espongiformes. La ECJ es la forma más común en el ser humano: se calcula que afecta a una persona por cada millón, a nivel mundial, y la mayoría de los pacientes presenta síntomas clásicos de demencia y mioclonías, asociadas a cambios específicos en el electroencefalograma (EEG). Conforme la enfermedad progresa, el cuadro demencial empeora y pueden presentarse síntomas visuales, cerebelosos, piramidales y extrapiramidales. El diagnóstico definitivo se logra demostrando la degeneración espongiforme de las neuronas en histopatología. La ECJ siempre es mortal y no tiene tratamiento específico: cerca del 90% de los pacientes fallece dentro del primer año después del diagnóstico. En este artículo, se reporta el caso de un paciente con ECJ esporádica probable, de acuerdo con los criterios diagnósticos actuales de la OMS y se da a conocer una revisión de la literatura.

Abstract: Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a transmissible neurodegenerative pathology produced by an infecting abnormal protein called prion. Together with kuru, fatal familial insomnia, and Gerstmann-Stráussler-Scheinker syndrome, it forms the group of so-called spongiform encephalopathies. CJD is the most common form in humans: it is estimated to affect one person per million worldwide and most patients have classic symptoms of dementia and myoclonus, associated with specific changes in the electroencephalogram (EEG). As the disease progresses, the dementia condition worsens and visual, cerebellar, pyramidal, and extrapyramidal symptoms may develop. The final diagnosis is achieved by proving the spongiform degeneration of neurons in the histopathology. CJD is always fatal and has no specific treatment: about 90 % of patients die within the first year of diagnosis. This article reports the case of a patient with probable sporadic CJD, following current who diagnostic criteria, and provides a literature review.

Resumo: A doença de Creutzfeldt-Jakob (DCJ) é uma doença patologia neurodegenerativa transmissível, produzida por uma proteína anormal infectante denominada prion. Juntamente com o kuru, a Insónia familiar fatal e a síndrome de Gerstmann-Stráussler-Scheinker, forma o grupo das chamadas encefalopatias espongiformes. A DCJ é a forma mais comum em humanos: estima-se que ela afete uma em cada um milhão de pessoas em todo o mundo, e a maioria dos pacientes apresenta sintomas clássicos de demência e mioclonia, associados a alterações específicas no eletroencefalograma (EEG). À medida que a doença progride, o quadro de demência piora e podem surgir sintomas visuais, ce-rebelares, piramidais e extrapiramidais. O diagnóstico definitivo é obtido por meio da demonstração da degeneração espongiforme dos neurónios na histopatologia. A dcj é sempre fatal e não possui tratamento específico: cerca de 90% dos pacientes morrem no primeiro ano após o diagnóstico. Neste artigo, é relatado o caso de um paciente com dcj esporádica provável, de acordo com os atuais critérios de diagnóstico da oms, e é apresentada uma revisão da literatura.

Epididymo-orchitis caused by Histoplasma capsulatumin a Colombian patient

Abstract Although histoplasmosis is generally a self-limited disease, disseminated infection can occur in patients lacking effective cell-mediated immunity, reaching virtually every organ, even the genitourinary tract in rare cases. We report a case of epididymo-orchitis in an immunocompetent 38-year-old bricklayer from the rural area of Villeta, Cundinamarca, Colombia. The patient presented with testicular pain and macroscopic scrotal changes requiring a left orchiectomy, with microbiological isolation and molecular confirmation of Histoplasma capsulatum.

Epididymo-orchitis caused by Histoplasma capsulatumin a Colombian patient.

Although histoplasmosis is generally a self-limited disease, disseminated infection can occur in patients lacking effective cell-mediated immunity, reaching virtually every organ, even the genitourinary tract in rare cases. We report a case of epididymo-orchitis in an immunocompetent 38-year-old bricklayer from the rural area of Villeta, Cundinamarca, Colombia. The patient presented with testicular pain and macroscopic scrotal changes requiring a left orchiectomy, with microbiological isolation and molecular confirmation of Histoplasma capsulatum.